Through the Wisconsin looking glass

Last week’s recall vote of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has all the talking heads a-buzzin’. What do the tea leaves reveal?

Is it a mandate? Some insist the vote signals the end of organized labor in this country. It is nothing less than a death knell for labor unions and the thuggery employed to line the pockets of the elite.

The resounding reconfirmation of Walker is worthy of a hallelujah — even the people of the hotbed liberal Cheese State have finally awakened and rejected unsustainable pay programs. Courage will now flourish and other lawmakers will step up and follow suit, pummeling those who would demand more in benefits than they have earned.

As for President Obama, it is nothing short of a major smack down for the unfunded mandates of Obamacare and his policies promoting ever more government dependence. As Wisconsin speaks, come November, so speak the American people. As Speaker of the House John Boehner puts it, Americans “have had it with big government.”

On the other side of this coin are the voices of those who believe Walker was a stealth bomber, never showing his intentions until after election.

His proposed budget was a sneak attack on collective bargaining rights, a backdoor holdup of public employees who had no means of defense. If allowed to stand, it could possibly spell the beginning of the end of hard-won concessions for the working class, setting the clock back to a time when big business ruled with impunity.

But this was never about any unfair leverage big business might have had over workers — it was about public employee unions and their leverage over public funds.

As chief executive officer, Walker decided the budget shortfall would be made up in part by concessions from his employees. The ensuing showdown was instigated by government workers, public and private union forces, and activists from within and without the state.

As battle lines were drawn, Democrats began to downplay the importance of the vote and put all possible distance between themselves and the fray. Barack Obama would not set foot in Wisconsin and gave barely a nod to Walker’s opponent via a tepid tweet.

Predictions of a “too close to call” election proved to be off the mark as tallies came in for the first few precincts and were mimicked throughout Badgerland. It was over almost before it started.

Some say Walker bought the seat, outspending his opponent with millions of dollars that poured in from confounded tea party meddlers. Others say it was pretty much an even spending spree when union money is counted from the beginning of the recall demand. Either way. it is a moot point.

Fiscal responsibility is not extremist policy. What we’ve witnessed here may simply be the people of Wisconsin supporting a leader who’s attempting to lead.

If it turns out to mirror sentiment across the land, then all politicians will have no choice but to take note — and have courage to make the tough decisions necessary to reverse entitlement policy gone wild.

Organized labor need not fear, but union survival might well depend on members’ ability to sense a shifting wind — and willingness to temper future negotiations with newfound prudence.